Think men are stoic creatures who endure pain by gritting their teeth and pretending they dont feel anything? Or that women tend to express pain, ready to describe it in vivid detail? Its time to overturn such stereotypes, says Teresa Dews, MD, vice chair of the Pain Management Department at Cleveland Clinic. "Over the years, Ive seen plenty of stoic women and expressive men," says Dr. Dews. "The perception that men wont talk about pain, while women have no trouble expressing their feelings, reinforces biases that interfere with appropriate treatment."
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